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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bank — for money
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bass — low music
  7. stock — goods
  8. pit — a hole
  9. row — a line
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bank — of a river
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stock — shares
  19. row — to paddle
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bass — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com